Then football took over and instead of basking in the sun with Emma, he was doing drills in ninety-five degree temps and one hundred percent humidity. More than once a teammate had been hospitalized for dehydration or heat exhaustion. Coach always made sure to be at the hospital when the principal arrived, making sure nothing was said that might cause trouble or interfere with the practice schedule. Luke hated those summers and truth be told, he hated football. The fans, the reporters, his dad, his coach, they all wanted a piece of him, and the better he played the more they took from him. The only good feeling he had about football was Emma. She always came to his games. She never wanted anything from him.
While Luke was holding hands with Emma on the beach, Ed was hiking a volcano in Hawaii with Jenny. They’d gone to the big island for their honeymoon. Cliché destination maybe, but Jenny had never been and he wanted to make the moment a magical time for her. After all she was marrying a tax attorney. The odds of their daily life being exciting weren’t good. Turned out he was wrong; Jenny, who was so full of energy, had made every day an adventure. Anniversaries were filled with surprises, holidays with joy, even going to the grocery store had been fun. And just when he’d thought life couldn’t get any better, Ryan had come along. He was the first grandchild and what an ordeal that had been for the entire family. Throughout all the baby showers and hoopla that took place, Jenny had made sure Ed still felt needed and loved. Although Ed would never know the physical pain of a knife piercing his heart, he thought now he had a pretty good idea, and would go so far as to surmise that a real knife wouldn’t cause near the pain as the metaphorical.
Zack, who had traveled the world wide and spent time in some of the most exotic places, didn’t imagine himself in Bali or Tahiti. He was in Disney World, on a once in a lifetime trip that had not included the old man. Compliments of mom’s great aunt Carmella, who died at the ripe age of ninety-seven and in her will she’d left her favorite niece a little money. Not enough, but a little. And if there was one thing his old man appreciated, it was free money. Mom gave the bastard all but a couple grand of the cash, a bribe, so he would let her take the boys on a vacation without him. How that conversation might have went Zack would never know. He’d always wanted to ask her how she’d convinced him to let them go alone. Maybe he knew she didn’t have enough to not come back. Maybe that’s why he took such a big cut, greed and insurance. If Bobby loved money, he hated being embarrassed. No wife of his was going to leave him, not breathing she wasn’t. That trip had been the highest point in Zack’s childhood. A moment in time when he’d pretended their family was normal. A year before someone decided to blow half of Bobby Londergan’s head all over the driver’s side of his custom Cadillac.
A highway sign announced the exit for the airport was two miles away. Vacation time ended, the memories faded back into the recesses of their minds and they returned to the present, to focus on the task at hand. The shoulder of the off ramp was cluttered with abandoned vehicles. They drove by a school bus. Both Luke and Ed stared and wondered.
“It’s empty,” Zack informed them, knowing what they were thinking.
They didn’t ask how Zack knew this. How didn’t matter. Thoughts of Lamar were never far off, could never be buried deep enough in their subconscious, safe from the slightest instance that might conjure up the macabre images once again.
They drove off the ramp onto the main road to the airport, also obstacle free. The results of work Zack and Colin had spent endless hours completing in the aftermath of the invasion. Zack had kept Colin’s time and mind busy clearing the main roadways of vehicles while he handled the removal of the bodies. The task had taken almost four months. When they’d finished, Zack decided burying the deceased was better than burning them. At the time he’d still held a hope that the missing might return and, when they did, they would want to know what happened to their loved ones. He’d dug a mass grave and covered the bodies with snow and dirt. On top of the mound he’d planted a cross, not because he was a religious man, but as a marker. The image of those mutilated bodies piled up in that hole haunted him as much as Lamar haunted his friends.
The airport loomed up ahead. Zack bypassed the main entrance and continued down the road to the hangars where the private jets were housed. A buddy of his had a nice six-seater that would be perfect for the trip. A first class top of line jet. If they were flying to their death, Zack was going to do so in style.
Once inside the hangar Zack inspected the plane, which was in impeccable condition and the fuel tanks were full. Fortunately for them the owner, unlike Zack, had been an organized responsible individual. While Zack checked out the interior, Ed and Luke opened the hangar doors. Ed backed the Monster into the hangar and Luke hooked up the towing cables. Ed pulled the plane into position on the tarmac. The Monster was unloaded and then secured inside the hangar. They stowed their gear, guns, food, and Zack’s specialized tasers that were capable of emitting a small electromagnetic pulse, in the back of the plane. In theory Zack hoped the pulse would disable the Sundog’s electrical system. When packing for this trip, he’d thought this untested theory of his might have the opportunity to prove him right or wrong. Something he wasn’t sure he should be excited about, but he was.
They sat at the end of the runway preparing for takeoff. It was almost noon. The flight to Wyoming would take fifty minutes start to finish. Once on the ground, time would be of the essence. The circle on the map was over forty miles from their landing zone. If a road to the spot existed they would consider this a sign of luck. If not, the search would be like finding the proverbial needle in the proverbial haystack. Only one way to find out. Zack put the plane into motion and within seconds they were airborne. The radar screen was blank, but Zack could fly without it and didn’t think air traffic would pose a problem. He maintained an altitude high enough to avoid skimming any mountain ranges, but low enough to stay under the white mass. The question of what would happen if he flew into the mass crossed his mind and that of his companions, but no one was ready to find that out. That point of desperation, where a person is willing to try anything regardless of consequences, had not yet been reached.
People always speculated on what they would do and how much they would put up with in dire circumstances, but when faced with making those tough decisions, survival, at a minimum, came out on top of the list as the most important outcome to consider. With living to see another day in mind, Zack flew the plane with extreme caution.
As they flew over Wyoming, Ed and Luke kept their eyes glued on the ground for anything giving the appearance of a being a large building or simply looking out of place in the Wyoming landscape.
“Nothing,” Ed announced as Zack circled the plane around. “Nothing, but white.”
“I’m sick of the snow,” Luke grumbled
“Me too man,” Ed agreed.
“Strap in. We’re gonna land and it might be bumpy.”
“Might be?” Ed asked.
“Will be,” Zack corrected, “and stopping might be a problem.”
Ed and Luke shared an expression of concern before strapping in extra tight. Ed had never flown in a private jet and knew nothing about the dynamics of a plane, so how Zack would stop the plane on the icy landing strip hadn’t crossed his mind until now. Too late Ed my man. Don’t panic or start acting like a cupcake. No room for cupcakes in this here per-dic-a-ment. Ed continued channeling his father’s voice inside his head, much like Madison’s imaginary conversations with her mother, Ed relied on his father’s ghost to keep his nerves in check.
Despite the uncertainty, Zack wasn’t concerned as he eased the plane down on to the narrow landing strip. The jolt from the wheels initial contact put their safety restraints to the test, but all belts and buckles remained secure. The reverse thrusters kicked in and the plane began to slow. Outside the scenery transitioned from a blur of white and brown to a more detailed view of the landscape.
“We might run out of runway,” Zack announced.
> “What?” Ed tried to see out the cockpit window, but couldn’t from where he was sitting and wasn’t about to unbuckle his seatbelt.
“Don’t worry.”
“Don’t worry!” Luke repeated in dismay. Sitting in the cockpit he had a front row seat. “We’re gonna crash into the trees.”
“We’ll stop,” Zack said sitting back relaxed.
Luke looked at him like he’d gone mad and glanced back at Ed who now had his head buried in his lap.
Zack smirked. “Dude, chill. I’ve done this before.”
“So you know we’ll stop?” Ed yelled from his crash position.
“Of course,” Zack answered exuding confidence despite not feeling one hundred percent certain, but nothing was one hundred percent guaranteed. A time or two he’d landed during a winter storm, but the field had only been covered with six or seven inches of snow and, as he recalled, no ice was in that mix.
The plane rolled along jerking whenever the wheels gripped and the brakes caught. The interval between slides was not going to be enough. The trees at the end of the runway loomed closer. Although the plane’s speed had slowed to the equivalent of thirty miles an hour, the impact wasn’t going to be gentle.
The plane began to slide sideways. “Brace for a crash,” Zack warned and applied the reverse thruster again. The force of this action shifted the plane back on course, but didn’t stop the slide. “Shit.” Was all Zack could say before the nose connected with the trees. The plane plowed a path fifty feet into the trees before coming to a stop. They sat quiet for several seconds. A tree limb fell on top of the plane, making them all jump. Ed unbuckled his restraints and fell forward before standing on shaky legs. Luke wobbled out of the cockpit. His face had an ashen tinge, his eyes a slight glazed over look.
“How are we gonna get back?” Luke asked.
“Get back,” Ed snorted. “How are we gonna get outta here? We’re in the middle of no fucking where.”
Zack powered down the plane and spun his seat around. “Ye of little faith. Didn’t you both hike halfway across the US before finding the bunker?” Zack nodded. “And now you’re worried about a short romp through the woods? Come on dudes. We got this.”
Skeptical, but having no choice, Ed and Luke followed Zack to the back of the plane where they’d stowed their gear. In twenty minutes they were dressed and loaded down with weapons. The emergency slide was activated and they slid to the ground below. Zack, first to the bottom, jumped off and looked back down the path of destruction towards the runway. He didn’t bother inspecting the plane. It was never his intention to use the same one to go home.
Luke dropped his backpack of supplies on the slide and followed down after. Ed came down last. He and Zack helped Luke into his backpack which was weighted down with extra survival supplies, in case they had to spend the night or two. Something Ed had hardly given much consideration, but was now weighing heavy on his mind.
The trek out of the woods took under fifteen minutes and from there they walked across the runway and back into the woods. Ed and Luke followed Zack, both wondering and hoping he knew where the hell he was going. It wasn’t long before they entered a clearing and there, half hidden under a drift of snow, was a small log cabin. A crude path was forged through the snow to the door and smoke rose from the single chimney.
Zack stared at the path trying to determine how fresh the tracks were and if more than one set was present. Ed and Luke had similar thoughts as they approached the door.
“What are the odds?” Zack wondered out loud.
“Should we knock?” Ed asked.
Zack shrugged. “Might as well.” He didn’t want to get excited over the possibility his old friend might have survived the attack, but if anyone could. Zack knocked on the door and held his breath. From inside they heard a rustling noise, something crashed to the ground and a string of curse words let loose.
Zack banged on the door. “Ray, open up. It’s Zack. Zack Londergan.” Inside, a shotgun opened and closed. Zack motioned for Luke and Ed to stand to the side.
“Ray put that damn shotgun down and open the door. It’s your old buddy Zack.”
After several seconds of silence, the cover over the peephole slid open and a black pupil peered out. “Zack?”
“Yeah Ray.” Zack removed his face mask. “See. It’s me.”
“How do I know you ain’t one of them alien things in disguise?”
“Would an alien know you have a tattoo of a purple fairy on your left bicep?”
“Maybe.”
“Would an alien know you have that tattoo because you lost a bet when you were in the Army?”
“How the hell do I know what an alien knows?”
“Damn Ray. Open the door. I’m freezin’ my balls off out here.”
“How’d you get here?” Ray demanded, still not convinced.
“I borrowed a plane. You can see it for yourself. It’s parked under the trees at the end of the landing strip.”
“You crazy Irishman.” The peep hole slammed shut and a series of locks clicked and slid open. The door opened revealing the man behind the voice, a slim white haired, dark skinned ancient man.
“Well come on in before the alien demons feel the heat and come lookin’ for a meal.” Ray waved them inside, slamming the door and sliding all the locks back in place. “Go on, go stand by the fire.”
The fire was a welcome sight. Ed and Luke removed their outer gear and stood close to the toasty blaze.
“Sit boy. Sit.” Ray waved Zack to a chair near the fire.
“Can’t stay long Ray. Gotta get back before night.” Zack sat on the edge of the chair.
“What’s your hurry?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Who’re your friends?” Ray waved his hand at Ed and Luke.
“Yeah, sorry man, where are my manners? Edward McGrath and Luke Taylor,” Zack said, “this is Ray Longhorne. My Wyoming connection and close friend.”
Both Ed and Luke took turns shaking Ray’s hand. Despite his frail appearance he had a strong grip.
“What brings you to the wilds of Wyomin’?”
“We’re looking for a warehouse or several warehouses that might have people inside. You wouldn’t happen to know of any nearby would ya?” Zack asked.
Ray stared at Zack for a long time. His eyes closed and he began to rock back and forth. They thought he might have fallen asleep standing up, but his eyes popped open. “They aren’t bein’ kept in no warehouses. More like concentration camps. But you don’t want to go near those places. That’s where death resides.”
“Whatta ya mean like concentration camps?” Zack asked.
“Like back during the war boy. Don’t you read your history books?”
“You mean like the German camps.”
“No boy. Like the Japanese camps right here on American soil. The Krauts weren’t the only heartless bastards during the war.”
“What are you talking about?” Luke asked.
“After the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor. The gov’ment decided all Japs in the great United States were a hazard to the nation. They rounded ‘em up like cattle and locked ‘em up behind barbed wire fences. They called ‘em internment camps, but they’s concentration camps yassir. In fact, and I only deliver the facts, there was one right here in Wyomin’.”
This was blowing Luke’s mind. US concentration camps weren’t covered in his school books. In fact, if he were to have a long conversation with Ray about the country’s history, he’d learn a whole lot more about things Mrs. Glover didn’t cover during his sophomore history class.
“Is that really true?” Luke asked Ed.
Ed nodded.
“Course it’s true son. What you callin me? A liar?”
“Take it easy Ray. Luke’s from Louisiana. He doesn’t know any better.” Zack said.
“Very funny asshole.” Luke replied, not amused.
“So what are we dealin’ with Ray?”
“Like I said they’
s like camps, but these are more sophisticated. No barracks, but cinder block buildings, like a sanitarium. Inside, everything’s white, reminds you of pictures of heaven, but it ain’t heaven, no sir. No angels, but lots of demons.”
“So you’ve seen these camps?” Ed interrupted.
“Yeah I’ve seen ‘em. Had a short stay in one,” Ray replied, snickering. “Them beins’ didn’t know who they was messin’ with.”
“What happened?” Luke asked. “I mean how’d you get away from them?”
“I got strange blood son. They stuck all kinds of tubes and junk in me, but ain’t none of it worked. I waited until they was gone and unhooked all them contraptions and then I walked out the front doors.” Ray cackled and pretended to spit. “I was trapped for near a week, but got out.”
“Were there other...other people?” Ed couldn’t bring himself to ask if he’d seen any children.
“Oh yeah. The place was packed full. White tables were lined up in a row with people layin’ on ‘em all hooked up lookin’ like octopuses. I ain’t seen nothin like it. Not even durin’ the war.”
Now which war Ray referred to was uncertain, since he looked to be one hundred years old if not older, but his age didn’t matter. That he’d been captured by the aliens and survived was all they were interested in hearing.
“Was it the Sundogs that took you?” Zack asked.
“Don’t know nothin’ about no Sundogs. Know them aliens are the damn creepiest folk I ever dealt with.”
“The Adita,” Ed said.
“Names don’t mean nothin’ to me boy. Never mind that. It was them soulless black eyed beins’. They visit the houses, but it’s the winged demons that fetch folk and guard the place. The aliens come in and took blood from folks. I’m no doctor or scientist, but it appeared, to my simple mind, they were running tests on the blood. Every so often the winged demons would take bodies away and bring new ones in.”
Eve of Man (The Harvest Book 2) Page 10